So Miss Kershaw says, "An elite performer is always put under some sort of extreme pressure that the rest of society can argue, might not quite understand."
and then in the next sentence completely contradicts herself with, "I mean, health and safety regulations have to come into play at some point."

STOP making excuses for young GIRLS STARVING themselves and encouraging those who emulate and look up to you following suit.

Thieves, Prostitutes, Drug dealers, etc make a lot of money also. Does that make it right??

Fashion needs to GROW UP. Period.

I hear ya Anon. There are parts of fashion I like. Nice clothes and yes some 'elite performers' like Daria, Freja and Kate do showcase that modeling is indeed an art form. Still I cannot deny that when for example Kate-in 90's reached Super model status and Daria at dizzy heights of 2004/05 were at their most successful complete with bones protruding from their neck line. Daria and Kate now are still doing well career wise but with age and wisdom have healthy model like bodies. Freja who is amazing and is naturally skinny has seemed over the last year to look gaunt about the face and more skinnier. To my eye anyway. Instead of her 'people' perhaps taking care of her, she goes on to book work more than ever. Of course these poor girls who have dreamed of fame, fortune and get to wear pretty clothes all day are going to starve themselves. As they know they will be rewarded handsomely. The industry needs a complete overhaul.

I think the difference between a model and a bodybuilder is this: bodybuilders, without steroids anyway, are working on getting stronger. Starving women are getting weaker because they are, well, starving themselves.

Whats the point of being "stronger" in todays society?

I'm sorry but i think skinny is beautiful, then again im skinny myself. We all define beauty out from our own physical image, so i can understand why alot of people are more than a little upset about the models, but seriously. . i don't see how its alright to pick on skinny while calling people fat is bad manners.

And like the annonymous model said:
"But I made a million dollars by the time I was 20, I bought a town house in Manhattan and put myself through Columbia. Does that make me a victim?"

Other people weight is not anyone else's business. If she makes the choice to be thin because it's part of her job-the that is her choice.

Have you ever made sacrifices for your job? Everyone has...it's part of life. People who work 9-5 jobs at offices can endanger their health with sleep deprivation, computer screens, a factory work is risking their health everyday, a fisherman, a pastman-IT IS JUST LIFE!!!
But being thin has upset every plain Jane who convinces herself that she is taking on the moral responsibilty for people she knows nothing about in an industry she does not know of....Time to look at ourselves first.

A great post - thank you for sharing!
PS. Abeey Lee rocks! Go Girl!

@anon 5:06 Can't say I agree with you, because fashion, though often vapid, doesn't exist in a vacuum. In other words, the "fashion industry" isn't just for insiders, it also exists to sell clothes to us plain jane fatties. We're supposed to buy into the whole thing, not just the
clothes, so yeah, we figure we have a vested interest in bitching about health and body image. That said, of course extremely thin people can look gorgeous, and show off some--but not all--designs well. However, when emaciated is the standard, and teenage models are compelled to meet it by the cabal of mercenary adults in your precious industry, we have some problems and a few talking points as well.

I'll take a guess and post that the "anonymous ex-model" is Christy Turlington (Burns). I would have never guessed that she lived on Diet Coke and apples for 2 years, but she did make quite a bit of money before she was 20 and signed a multi-million dollar exclusive contract with Calvin Klein in the late 80's, had a townhouse in the West Village

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117883808.html?categoryid=1308&cs=1

and in 2009 wikipedia posts that she's completing her master's degree at Columbia. If this is indeed her, she would have done a bit of good by not being anonymous and helping girls in the industry out, whose stories are not as golden.

urgh! obviously you people wouldn't understand because your not part of the modelling industry! but yes we are put under immense pressure to be thinner but the people who i have worked with and many people who are in the modelling and fashion business would not starve themselves. Because by doing so your are only slowing your metabolism and actually gaining more weight in the long run. I myself have tried to starve myself but i find the best way is healthy eating and exercise and i know many people in this business do the same thing as myself.

thin for the win.
that is my opinion.

nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
COOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMENT

I would do it too... if I could.

Being thin is their business, their art so naturally people not involved in that industry won't understand.
But sure lets go ahead and encourage everyone to be unhealthy, to make a few big girls feel better about themselves.